Rubbish dumped in Rotorua. Video / Supplied / Shirley Trumper
"An appalling and disgusting lack of consideration" is how a local community leader has described a pile of dumped rubbish in a rural area south of Rotorua.
Rotorua Rural Community Board chairwoman Shirley Trumper discovered the rubbish on Tumunui Rd on the weekend after a member of the public alerted her to it.
"This shows an appalling and disgusting lack of consideration for our rural community by someone who thinks the rural idyll should be littered with large amounts of … crap.
"It's lazy, disgusting people with no care for the environment. It annoys the bejesus out of me. I can't understand why they think it's acceptable."
Rural community board chairwoman Shirley Trumper. Photo / File
Trumper said she had told the Rotorua Lakes Council about the rubbish and by midday Tuesday it had been removed.
She understood the waste had been dumped by people hired to dispose of it and said it was a good reminder for the community to ensure people they hired to do so were legitimate and trustworthy.
Councillor Fisher Wang, who also sits on the Rural Community Board, said fly-tipping was a "disgrace".
"It's disgusting. Not only is it abusing our environment but it is ruining it for everyone else who is following the proper rules."
He said services were available for the proper disposal of rubbish and rural areas were more likely to experience rubbish dumping because there was a smaller chance of being caught in the act.
"It costs the council to clear up that rubbish … it flows on to the ratepayer."
Council infrastructure manager Stavros Michael said the dumped rubbish was reported on June 22 and appeared to be commercial waste from renovation work.
"Contractors are not always responsible for the waste created by renovation work, sometimes it is the responsibility of the property owner.
"If you are completing renovation or maintenance work on your property it is a good idea to check with any contractors you're using about whose responsibility it is to dispose of waste."
Michael said it was difficult to ascertain the cost to the council for the specific dumping incident, as removing illegal dumping was part of the council's contract for waste collection with Smart Environmental.
The total expected cost to the council for illegal dumping was estimated to be $80,000 this financial year, he said.
The rubbish dumped on Tumunui Rd, south of Rotorua. Photo / Supplied
"There are illegal dumping 'hot spots' in both urban and rural neighbourhoods. While the majority of illegal dumping takes place in urban areas, typically larger dumping cases occur in rural areas.
"The council uses preventative measures such as reducing the surrounding vegetation, installing CCTV cameras, signage, public rubbish bins or working alongside the community to implement strategies to reduce the likelihood of dumping.
"Illegal dumping is a community problem and people have to take personal responsibility for doing the right thing in disposing of the waste they generate."
If you witness illegal dumping, do not approach the offenders but take notes and photos or videos of the person and their vehicle.
This can help with identification and prosecution.
When reporting rubbish it is very helpful if you supply photos that have a location tag. This can be done by turning on your location services on your smart device before taking the photo. This enables contractors to go straight to the dumping site rather than spending time searching for the rubbish.
Source: Rotorua Lakes Council
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO DUMP WASTE IN ROTORUA?
• Car load - $18 • Single axle - trailer / van / ute (up to 250kg) - $45 • General truck - $178.50 per tonne (minimum charge $45) • Whiteware - $10 per item
